The Boy Who Sees The Horror Beneath The Wings
by Maegan1204
Summary: Tweek is a boy in his class. The type of kid people whisper about while blatantly staring at him. Not that he'd ever notice. He's too busy in his own little world. His world of supposed magic and pointed teeth and f a i r i e s. Everyone says he's crazy and because of that he isolates himself. Craig has always kept away from him, that is until one day in which everything changes.
1. Glowing Eyes

**Chapter One:** _ **Glowing Eyes**_

 _This is my first time posting one of my stories online so please forgive my newbie mistakes. Also I realize my writing style is kind of monologue heavy so please try to look past that. All art is mine, I didn't get around to drawing it digitally but traditional should be fine. Sorry its so short, I haven't written in awhile so I'm still rusty._

"Craig? Craig!" Craig jerked his head up to meet the now irritated teacher's eyes. "Craig, I know its 9th period but there is no daydreaming in my class, you hear me?" He was too tired to deal with this and merely gave a nonchalant shrug. He was too emotionally exhausted to even flip off the teacher like he usually did. The teacher blinked in surprise at the lack of gestured profanities before walking away, presumably to try to do her job for once. What a sight that would be considering she never does her job right any other time. As a 'typical angsty teenager' he never had any good days, but this one had been particularly awful. He didn't want to think about that now though. Unable to focus on the teacher's incessant ramblings he let his eyes wander around the classroom. All the normal bored faces, until; he dared let his gaze fall on the pale face of the boy that sat only two seats away. Most days he avoided looking at the boy. Tweek was the boy's name, not that he could ever forget it with how much he heard it come up in whispered conversations. Tweek was usually a faceless smudge in the corner of his eye, but today he needed a distraction from the panic rising in his chest so for once he let himself watch the boy. He was truly fascinating, pale blonde hair that sticks in all directions, a thin face and... a _bleeding mouth and black eye._ Huh, that was certainly new. Well, not that he would notice if Tweek had two broken arms and was missing an eye most days, but today was special. Today, he broke his own strict rule. Most times it was considered rude to stare so intensely at someone but Tweek never noticed in the past. He was always too busy fearfully glancing out the window, anxiously tapping his foot; frantically scribbling in a notebook, that sort of had made the mistake of looking at his notebook once in middle school. His 11 year old self had nightmares for days. The looming menacing shadows and threatening pointed teeth in the messy, _scared_ , sketches of that notebook shouldn't have come from a 11 year old's mind. But that was one of the things that was special about Tweek. Tweek had much worse things than pencil horrors coming from his mind. Back before he started isolating himself Tweek used to paint vivid stomach turning stories of death and deals and kidnapping and fairies just with his words. Used to try to show his bruises and scars as proof he wasn't lying. No one believed him of course, they all declared him delusional and in need of help. That was when he started to stop talking to everyone around him. Craig remembered that time, when Tweek just seemed to... give up trying to convince them he wasn't crazy. It was also said to Craig to watch, the resignation to madness and the scorn of everyone around him. Tweek was only 12 after all, but Craig couldn't have done anything, not without risking the wrath and accusations of being insane from all his friends. He was suddenly jerked out of his reminiscing by the realization that Tweek was staring right back at him and oh wow, his eyes really were so bright green and breathtaking under all that bruising. Just like Craig remembered.


	2. Prejudice Against The Strange

**Chapter 2: _Prejudice Against The Strange_**

For a couple of awkward seconds Craig and Tweek held eye contact before willing his body to do something to relieve the tension, he smiled, small and awkwardly. Craig wasn't really in the habit of smiling at people so he was a bit rusty. At the sudden uncomfortable smile Tweek turned white and quickly looked back at his notebook of nightmares. He frowned in spite of himself. Craig had really fuck that up hadn't he. Goddammit, why had he smiled at Tweek. You never smile at the crazy recluse kid, it was like a sacred rule! Ah shit, he really hates days like this, he choked back tears as the sudden rush of emotion he's been keeping back all day almost overtook him. He managed to get a hold of himself and not cry. In high school crying in class is like a one way ticket to ridicule from all your friends and fake concern from anyone else. Craig felt eyes on him and on instinct turned and saw Tweek was looking at him again. Tweek's green eyes were full of concern, fear and countless other unintelligible emotions. They held eye contact for a couple seconds but before either one of them could do something the bell signaling the end of the period loudly rang out. Tweek rushed up and ran out, just a flash of blonde and green, just like he did every day when the bell rang. Wait, no, he wouldn't know that, not like he watches Tweek. Why would he watch Tweek of all people, the residential boy who cried wolf. No way, Craig probably is just having weird thoughts as a result of stress. Speaking of stress... He's going have to do the burial after school so he better get going. The teacher was starting to give him weird looks anyways. He quickly grabbed his bag and hightailed it towards the bus or as he deemed it, the equipage to his doom.

Craig stared hesitantly at the woods he was standing in front of, fingers clenched around the box he was holding. He shakily took the steps into the woods and starting walking as fast as he could without running. He was holding the box containing Stripe so tightly that the marker he'd put on it was starting to come off on his fingers. He had drawn stars and moons and sun's and all that space shit on the box as a way of memorializing his fondest memories with Stripe. He remember those sleepless nights, back when he couldn't handle the nightmares yet, so he'd just lay there in the dark, too terrified to dream and just told Stripe about constellations and stars pointing where they were at the ceiling as he could almost see them. Those star filled nights with Stripe were the only thing that stopped him from breaking down in those times. And now.. There was no one to help him through the nightmares, first his stars were taken from him and now Stripe. How funny, Craig was so sure the universe was enjoying this cruel joke on him. He was quite sure however that this was one joke he'd be happy to fucking flip off. Craig finally stumbled onto the edge of the clearing. A secluded quiet clearing with a small, clear pond. He had come here so often as a kid when life became too much for him and he needed to get away. He had not come here for many years but it was the perfect place for Stripe to be buried. He blinked with shock when he realized someone was already in the clearing. He blinked in shock as he stared at Tweek who was kneeling at the edge of the pond. Tweek whipped his head around so fast that Craig was worried he hurt his neck. Craig opened his mouth to say something, anything, but before he could Tweek burst up and grabbed a handful of soaking wet notebook pages from the ground. Tweek looked back at him, eyes so big he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "What do you want, did someone put you up to this? Oh god they did didn't they, listen I don't want any trouble, so please don't hurt me!" God, Tweek was just babbling at this point, frantically trying to keep grip on the pages he was holding that despite his best efforts were falling apart." Hey hey, chill the fuck out dude. I'm just here to bury my Guinea pig. I don't want to hurt you." Tweek's shoulders slumped after that, his sudden panic clearly have taken most of his energy. "ghh, they won't like that, this is their pond, they'll definitely be upset. Oh God, oh God, I hope they take it out on me, maybe I can beg" Tweek muttered to himself. Craig set his jaw and walked closer to the pond. He was determined to bury Stripe here, Tweek's weird muttering couldn't change that. Tweek unconsciously stepped away from him as he came closer. He sighed and seemed to resign himself to the fact that Craig wasn't changing his mind. Tweek looked at the box in Craig's hands and then gave him a weird look. "Uh, do you need help burying Stripe?" Craig gaped at him and Tweek quickly backtracked. "Gnah, what am I thinking, why would you want help from me!" Craig shook his head and struggled to find the right words. "I, uh, how do you know Stripe's name?" Tweek looked sheepish and said so quietly Craig could barely hear him "You always have the same name for your Guinea pigs." Craig processed this and then gave Tweek a small smile. "Yeah I guess I do don't I, it's a habit I couldn't give up even on Stripe #7" He gave a small laugh and a shrug that said hey what can you do. "And what happened to Stripe#4" Tweek asked in a soft voice, not meeting Craig eyes. "He disappeared, he was never the same after you stopped seeing him. He was so distraught, he barely wanted to eat, barely wanted to sleep, he was lonely, and he started having nightmar-" Craig sharply cut off at that point, sharply breathing in, trying to cut off the emotion that was once again rising in his throat. He turned away from Tweek and walked to the edge of the pond. He crouched and quietly starting making a crater in the dirt. After about 30 seconds of this he sensed someone kneel next to him and saw Tweek join him in digging, his face unintelligible. After a couple minutes of working in silent unison Craig felt Tweek stiffen up and stare at something in the trees. Craig tried to see what he was looking at and spotted motion in the bushes on the other side of the pond. Tweek didn't move from where he was though and Craig decided he didn't care if it was the goddamn president in the bushes, he was burying Stripe. Craig shoveled a few more handfuls out before setting the box in the hole him and Tweek had created. With a jolt he realized at last that Tweek Tweak was sitting next to him. It hadn't dawned on him yet, he was too busy being upset about Stripe and bitter towards Tweek to realize that they haven't talked to each other in 4 years. In fact both of them seemingly have been avoiding each other for all this time and yet here they were, solemnly digging a grave for his Guinea pig. Craig let out a small laugh despite himself. It was just too funny. Tweek had still been staring obsessively at the rustling bushes but the sudden noise of the snort seemed to jerk him out of his trance. He looked back at Craig again and the locked eyes. Craig took the opportunity to actually look at Tweek's face. He remember when he used to stay up at night going every single detail of it in his mind when he couldn't sleep. No! He was not thinking about that now, he had worked too hard to repress those memories now tinged with sadness and hurt. He broke off their eye contact and brush the last of the dirt over the box, covering it completely. "You have to join in the fond remembering with me, it's a essential part of funerals" Craig whispered elbowing Tweek's arm gently. Tweek winced at that like it had hurt but clasped his hands together and closed his eyes in solemn grief anyways. "To Stripe, my supportive companion and greatest friend. The one who explored the stars with me and was always there for me when the horrors would over set me. To my light, the only thing I truly care for now, rest among the stars and watch over me as I point at you in the night in wonder." Craig could barely get the last words out, on the verge of tears. He could not cry here, cold and kneeling on the dirt in the middle of the forest. He couldn't! But... he still couldn't stop the onslaught of quiet hot tears streaming down his face. He wiped at his eyes the best he could and tried to pull himself together. On instinct he looked over at Tweek who was just opening his eyes, looking surprisingly sad. Tweek stared at him again and reached out a trembling hand out to Craig. Craig looked at him questioningly for a second before shakily grabbing Tweek's hand already feeling better at just that little bit of comfort. Before he could tell himself it was a bad idea he wrapped his arms around Tweek and held him in a long tearful hug. To his surprise Tweek relaxed at this contact and wrapped his arms lightly but comfortingly around Craig. They just stayed like that, taking comfort in each other's warmth and just for a second Craig felt that maybe today wasn't so bad after all.


	3. Iridescent Wings And Empty Eyes

**Chapter 3: _Iridescent Wings And Empty Eyes_**

"Craig and Tweek stayed there holding each other until Craig calmed down enough to realize who he was hugging and quickly let go. Tweek looked into his eyes and Craig noticed how close they were, noses only two inches apart. Desperate to distract himself from the weird thoughts going through his head he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "What were you doing with those papers when I arrived." Tweek looked momentarily startled by the question out of the blue before his face grew grim. He glanced around them before leaning towards Craig and, oh god, any closer and Craig's stupid heart would really be in trouble. All Tweek did though was whisper "Nng, I was, uh, giving up my drawings to the faerie of the pond as a offering." Craig let out a short surprised laugh before he could stop himself. "From the pile of wet pages I saw you holding looks like the offering didn't work." Tweek's face went white at that. "Well you surprised me." Craig eyed Tweek incredulously, faerie of the pond, huh? A million questions ran through his mind before he settled on "What will the 'Faerie of the Pond' do now since I messed up your weird offering ritual?" He didn't do it physically but there were definitely implied finger quotes. Damn dude, those finger quotes were so fucking implied you could have written a goddamn literature essay it. English teachers were tearing their hair out, professors were crying with dismay, students could care less, that was how fucking implied those finger quotes were. Shit, he was getting seriously offtrack, Tweek didn't appear to have noticed though because he was staring in silent horror at the pond next to them. Craig followed his gaze and spotted what he was staring at. There were ripples going through the water. "Hey hey, don't look so freaked out, it's just a fish, I'm sure the so called Faerie of the Pond doesn't care about a missed offering." "Aagh! Yes she does!" Tweek screeched still staring intensely at the ripples in the water getting larger and larger. Craig wasn't scared of fairies, how could he be. Fairies were small and have glittery wings and most of all weren't _real_. Still, Tweek's intense fear was starting to make him feel antsy. Tweek suddenly started tugging on Craig's arm trying to get him to stand up. "I think you should probably go" Tweek stated nervously and Craig was about to comply when he was frozen in place by the sight of something slowly rising out of the water. Tweek also froze, hand still gripped loosely in Craig's arm. They both watched in abject terror as something truly unbelievable emerged, coming closer and closer until the thing stood on the water two feet in front of were they were kneeling, looking down at them. Craig almost couldn't comprehend the sight of the thing. It was a woman but there was just so much wrong with her that she couldn't be human. She had pale blue-gray hair and a thick blue-green braid with flowers in it, large iridescent green wings stretched out behind her. As strange and out of place she was, she would have almost been pretty if it wasn't for her jet black eyes and her mouth, oh god, her mouth. Her impossibly wide smiling mouth gaped open, inside it were thin pointed thin dribbling thick strands of bloods and in between the teeth hung out a long, thin, pointed black tongue. She stared at Tweek and delicately held one long fingered hand. Keeping his eyes on the ground Tweek shoved the wet notebook pages into her hand. With her other hand the woman dropped an object into Tweek's hand which he quickly wrapped his fingers around. She then shifted her alien like black eyes to Craig who was still frozen in fear and pointed at him. In a whistling, quiet voice she hissed "I shall overlook this insult this time but next time you'll find I am not so merciful." With the words lingering in the air and Craig wondering how she made those creepy ass noises without moving her gross mouth she turned around and walked back into the depths of the pond. Craig faintly heard Tweek make a high keening noise and only then did Craig realize his whole body was shaking. "Well... that was fucked" Craig commented in a choked voice. Tweek whipped around and looked at him, eyes wide. "Holy shit dude! Are you ok?" He screeched frantically looking over Craig. Craig just shrugged, still in a state of shock. Realization dawned on Tweek and his brows furrowed with concern but his eyes were full of hope. "Uh, hey dude, uh, you definitely saw the woman right now right?" Tweek asked hesitantly. Craig snorted "Hard to miss her spooky ass." Tweek's expression brightened instantly and he tightened his grip on Craig's arm. "So, agh how do I phrase this, uh, you do realize what she was right?" Craig's mind went blank. What _was_ she. She was almost too horrifying and alien to place into a box. Tweek leaned in and whispered, looking into Craig's eyes intently. "A Faerie." Craig almost laughed at how ridiculous Tweek sounded before he started to think over the situation and came to a realization. "A Faerie" He muttered in amazement. Well, he guesses that wasn't the weirdest thing he's ever seen while living in South Park. Suddenly he was looking at Tweek with a new perspective. If that was a Faerie then that meant that maybe Tweek wasn't crazy. He focused on Tweeks's face as if trying to sense the madness in him but found him self distracted by the fact that Tweek was grinning with joy. It was a large, bright smile, only made more charming by the fact that one of his teeth were missing. Holy fuck, Tweek smiled. Though he guessed didn't either. Still, Tweek's smile was doing weird things to his heart and he was wary of that. "You actually _believe_ me." Tweek breathed reaching a hand towards Craig's face before thinking better of it and drawing his hand back. Craig felt a twinge of disappointment at the draw back. Ok, he definitely needed to change the subject, he couldn't deal with this crisis of 4 years right now. "What did that Faerie of the Pond give you." He inquired casting a curious glance to Tweek's left hand still clutching the object. Tweek's face instantly grew sour. "A promise." He hissed with contempt. He unfurled his hand to reveal an acorn dipped in a wet dark red liquid that judging from the faerie's mouth was probably blood. "Well, shit dude." Craig so eloquently said. "Well shit dude indeed." Tweek said solemnly.


	4. Open Ribcage And Mourning Heart

Craig and Tweek stood awkwardly at the edge of the woods not sure what to say next. After the whole faerie thing Tweek had grabbed Craig's arm and made them hightail out of there. Though, considering what had happened that was a fairly reasonable thing to do. He had the odd feeling of the Faerie of the Pond's black eyes following him as he walked away from the pond. At least he wasn't making teachers stress out anymore with his _heavily_ implied finger quotes on the Faerie's name. The most implied finger quotes since the many sarcastic quotes of a female in a Jane austen novel. The kind of implied finger quotes that-. His quickly derailed train of thought about finger quotes crashed into a metaphorical tree as Tweek suddenly interrupted his thoughts with a question. "Uh, um, I know you just maybe started to believe I wasn't totally nuts like a little bit ago but uh, I guess it's been so long since anyone hasn't looked at me with pity and thinly veiled disgust so uh, I wanted you to come to my house and I could tell you more since I'm sure you want to know more and all that. Unless you really are as stoic and uncaring as you seem because then all I can really do is kinda regard you with amazement and jealousy at your apathy in the face of the strange and dangerous. After that though I'd just abscond out of the situation because if you don't care about faeries then you definitely don't care about me. I mean, most of me is just Faerie related at this point, agh, not in a obsessive way!" OK, Tweek was definitely hardcore rambling at this point. Craig tended to just tune rambling out but Tweek was very close to just leaving and he didn't want that so he quickly stopped Tweeks anxious line of thought." Dude calm down, I assure you I am thoroughly shaken by that magical and horrifying encounter, I would definitely be interested in your room and you." 'Faeries or not' he finished mentally, not daring to say that out loud. Tweek's shoulders lost some of their tension and he held out a pale scarred hand to Craig. Craig took it a little too fast and internally cringed at how eager he appeared. Tweek's hand felt familiar even if it was larger and more rough than the last time he held it. Some things never changed it seemed.

Craig followed in confusion and curiosity as Tweek led him around the side of what he assumed was Tweek's house. The house didn't have his last name on it but everyone knew Tweek lived with his aunt and uncle. How could they not, not after what happened 5 years ago. Tweek led him to a window and opened it, Craig didn't think you couldn't look skilled at opening a goddamn window of all things but Tweek opened that window like he had a Olympic gold medal in breaking into houses. Tweek scrambled over the side and disappeared through the curtains. Craig kinda just stood there awkwardly contemplating whether or not he should jump in when Tweek's hand popped out and grabbed his wrist, tugging slightly. Well, there was no arguing with that. Craig pulled himself through the window with very little grace and fell on the hard wood floor below. He looked around, wanting to get a scope on the room he just technically broke into to. Is it breaking in if you were invited by someone who lives there? He didn't really dwell on that though as his attention was quickly caught by the drawings covering almost every inch of the walls in what seemed to be Tweek's room. He jerked his head towards Tweek how was sitting nervously on the ground in front of him. "What the hell is this dude, you're sleeping in the lab cell of a deranged child. I mean, these drawings at straight out of a horror movie." Craig muttered, more impressed than freaked out. "Back when I still was desperately trying to get people to believe I used to draw all of the creatures I see. I thought that if I made the drawings detailed enough it'd be proof. They just said I was disturbed. I still draw the faeries that haunt my every night, always in the shadows, always full of violent promises and whispered grudges. Now I do it to convince myself I'm not crazy, it's the only thing I have left." Tweek said, sad and bitter. But then he raised his eyebrows and stared at Craig hopefully. "Until you that is. Because you believe me, and the hope of someone believing me is all that kept young me going."He said, smiling at him shyly. Craig felt a sudden pressure fall on his shoulders but for some reason he didn't mind it. He smiled slightly back at Tweek and then looked around the room, trying to ignore the intimidating drawings glaring down at him. His eyes widened with disbelief as he saw a small framed picture hidden behind a complete miscellaneous books on a shelf. He quickly got up and strode over to the shelf. Pushing aside the books he gently picked up the picture and stared at it nostalgia making him feel close to tears. In the photo stood him and Tweek grinning at the camera holding a Guinea pig with great care in their hands. They were about 10 and the photo radiated happiness and memories that Craig had tried to block out until he could no longer withhold the emotions growing in his stomach. He slowly turned towards Tweek, his head buzzing. "You kept this?" He asked in a soft quiet voice. Tweek visibly swallowed and just nodded. "I didn't have the heart to let it get thrown out with most of my other things. Agh, I know it's weird but I miss the memories held in that photo, that time when hey, maybe stuff was really messed up but at least I had things I didn't want to disappear." Tweek huffed out defensively, looking sad and slightly offended. He really didn't know what to make of this picture, his emotions, Tweek's reaction, any of it. He had spent so long avoiding thinking about those memories out of hurt and spite. God! He really needed to chill the fuck out. He let out a deep breath and put the picture back a bit more lovingly then he really meant too. He hesitantly looked back at Tweek and twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Normally I wouldn't admit this but this day is special I suppose. I still have pictures of us, I keep them tucked in a comic I have, page 38. I... I couldn't stand getting rid of them either." The words kind of came out as more as a exhale then an actual sentence. Tweek looked shocked and unconsciously thumbed the corner of his button-up. Tweek opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by a loud banging noise somewhere in the house. His face went white and he looked at little scared. He brought his finger to his lips in the universal be quiet motion and waved his hand at Craig, signaling him to walk to him. Craig did so as quietly as he could and raised his eyebrows at Tweek meaningfully. God, he really just felt bad for Tweek, all this crazy and scary stuff has been happening to him and it had only been about two hours. This much fear and terrifying situations had to really wear down on a person after awhile, especially a 16 year old. He really was amazed that Tweek was as sane as he was, twitchiness and anxiety aside. Craig listened as the banging noise came closer and realized they were heavy stumbling foot steps. He was feeling that this felt way too close to the Faerie Of the Pond incident for his liking when the noise stopped right in front of the room. What was it about door knobs jiggling that was so terrifying? Maybe it was the realization that if that person was meant to enter then they would already have the key. Yep that was definitely it because Tweek's obviously locked door knob was jiggling and he had the worst feeling that it was locked for the specific purpose of keeping what was on the other side of the door _out_."


	5. The Nightmare In Your Head

_Totally posted chapters 4 and 5 on ao3 and straight up forgot to post it on here too, sorry_

 _Mentions of abuse in this chapter, just a warning if you're not comfortable with that_

 _I draw a lot of South Park art and post it mainly on the South Park amino under the name Gray_

Craig looked away from the shaking door back at Tweek and made the what the hell is this gesture with his hands. Tweek just shook his head and once again motioned him to keep quiet. The noise of the handle jiggling was really starting to get to him and he started to wrap his arms around himself to wait it out when a voice came from the other side of the door. "Tweek, you can't keep me out forever. All debts must be paid in full. You better not have been lying when you said you were willing to pay the price. Remember child, liar liar, still beating heart on fire." The voice hissed menacingly. Craig had to stifle a laugh at the creatures messed up version of the rhyme. Now really wasn't the time for laughing, not after all the implied threats that thing said. He held his breath as he heard the footsteps fade away from the door and back into the house. Craig didn't even exclaim any profanities or demand answers this time,he simply just stared at Tweek with concern and slight irritation. Tweek frowned at Craig's expression and stared at the sketches on the wall pensively. "It's true that all of this is my fault you know. Trust me, I blame myself everyday. Being just a child doesn't save you from the consequences of your decisions. I made a mistake and now the faeries are making me pay for it." Tweek said, sounding far away as if he was somewhere in his bitter memories. Craig opened his mouth to object Tweek's professed guiltiness but Tweek cut him off. "I killed my parents you know. I know everyone is aware I live with my aunt and uncle but none of you know why. It's because they are dead and it's my fault. I was only 10 but what else do you expect from a deal with a faerie." Craig gaped at him, his mouth was forming words but they didn't come out. He knew both faeries he had met today had said something about deals and promises but a deal to kill his own parents? "I didn't have the best parents you know, they sold drugs out of our house,ignored my basic needs, looked the other way when clients broke our things or hurt me. Things like that were my everyday and I just couldn't take it anymore. One particularly bad night I laid curled in my closet and a creature appeared. It appeared to be a woman in strange clothes and large shimmery purple wings. She was beautiful except for the cold, merciless look in her gray eyes. She gave me an offer that night, an offer to save me and as foolish as it seemed, in my eyes that strange, grim faced faerie was my savior. I eagerly accepted and she told me to go back to sleep, by morning i'd be _saved._ In reality when I woke up that morning I went to my parent's room out of morbid curiosity, turned on the unusually wet light switch and found them dead in their bed, blood coating the room and my hand. It took a couple for me to comprehend what had happened, I just stood there after that sobbing and staring at my bloody hands with horror. I knew deep down in all my grief that it was my fault. I could claim innocence, sobbing that I didn't know this would happen, but I knew in my heart what that faerie meant to do to them and I _let_ it happen. My aunt and uncle took me in after that. They resent me you know, I know they suspect I'm responsible for my parent's death." Instead of trying to wrap his brain around the horrifying confession Tweek just made he did the only thing he could do and that was demand answers for his own feelings. "I- when was this. Did you go to school that day and stare in our faces, your friends still and pretend you were fine?Actually, did you do that everyday. Did you look into my eyes everyday and smiled like nothing was wrong with you, your parents, your life? Did you hide your injuries from me of all people!? Why didn't you tell me, I was your-" Craig's voice broke then. He was not about to cry, he couldn't. Tweek did start to cry, hot tears streaming down his face. "I was scared Craig, the only way I could survive is to pretend like nothing was wrong. If I admitted how things were to you then.. I'd have to admit to myself. That faerie offering me a way out was the first time I even let myself believe I needed a way out. I was only 10 Craig, I couldn't handle confessions and realizations on that. When you're 10 you're still so naive and hopeful that even if your parents are horrible and barely are parents at all you still want them. You aren't ready to hate your own parents and you still hold out for a normal relationship. I'm sorry I lied to you and pretended I was ok. I almost told you that day at school when they had just been murdered. I was just so overcome with feelings and guilt that I needed to get it out, but I looked at you, acting the same as you always did, treating me the same as you always did and in that moment all I wanted was something _normal._ Then after that… the faerie came again. This time however, she was there for me." Tweek dried his tears and the sight of him sitting there looking small and worn down with his red eyes and air fragility struck Craig like a punch. Shakily he wrapped his arms around Tweek and just held him, the familiarity of it was fuzzy in his chest. Tweek gripped him in a needy, emotional way and started to speak once more, noticeably quieter. "That day after school I called the police. I frantically told them that burglars had broken into my house and murdered my parents in a struggle when my parents caught them in the act. I told them that I had stayed at a friends house and then went to school. I had just gotten home and discovered them and had rushed to the phone once I got a hold of myself. They believed me of course. The sight of me, a small and scraggly little kid sobbing over my parents was convincing to them. My aunt and uncle came that night to help me move my things as they were letting me live with them. That sleepless night all alone in a strange cold room the faerie visited me. She said it was time for my payment. She didn't demand much, just some of my tears and something I owned of my parents. I was so overcome with grief and anger though. I started screaming at her, saying I never wanted her to kill my parents, that I never should accepted her offer. She only greeted with cold silence. I got only angrier and ran at her in my rage. I started grabbed and scratching at her, anything I could reach. Of course a stupid kid blinded with anger couldn't do anything to a faerie but somehow in the tussle I managed to rip off a large part of her wing. Oh Craig, she was absolutely livid. It was the first emotion she had shown and I was terrified. She threw me off and her and angrily pointed a shaking finger at me crumpled on the floor. 'This is the gravest insult you could have committed you petulant child. You will not be forgiven and you will not be shown mercy. You will be marked and from this day on you are an enemy of the faeries. You will be terrorized day by day and no one will ever believe you for your own people are blind to the truth and unwilling to accept anything like it. You will be bruised and bloodied and treated as if you were mad. This is the punishment I lay upon you, one day you will learn your lesson, only then may the punishment lessen.' With those damning words spoken she disappeared leaving only pitiful me and a mark on my shoulder. You know what happened after that, me getting beaten and subjected to bullying daily by those shadowy bitter creatures and then not a soul believing me when I tried to tell them. Being young and hopeful for acceptance I kept up my tales in the face of rejection and ended up getting shunned for it. One by one everyone I knew treated me like some sort of wild card, a liar, crazy, a _boy who cried wolf._ You were the last to leave, you tried to stick with me but I couldn't stand the onslaught from everything and drew away into myself. Because of this isolation I ended up losing you too. My Craig, my closest friend, my _boyfriend._ Then after that for all this time I've just been alone still being harassed and hurt, still trying to convince myself i'm not crazy. I didn't really accept my fate until age 15, until then I had still been trying to at least find a way out, find a way to remove the mark, escape my punishment. After 5 years however I was just so tired of trying for nothing and just… gave up." "Until me" Craig interjected, voice choked with raw emotion. Tweek pulled away and looked him in the eyes. "My real savior. You're my beacon of hope as ridiculously cheesy as that sounds. It feels surreal to have you right in front of me, looking at me almost like you used too. If I had the choice to pick anyone to believe me finally, i'd pick you every time." Craig's face heated, he understood that Tweek had gone a long time completely alone but those kind of statements were seriously going to kill him. Embarrassed at himself he buried his face in his hands but couldn't help but peek at Tweek through his fingers. His eyes were still puffy and tinged red but he had a big grin on his face. Craig really was going to have to get used to this, he had a lot of it ahead of him.


End file.
